Ditching-machine



(No Model.) '2 Sheets-Sheet 1. E. M. REESE. DITGHING MACHINE.

Patent-ed Sept. 15, 1891.

A from/E rs (No Mofiel.) E M REESE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

DITOHING MACHINE. No. 459,649. v Patented Sept. 15, 1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

EDIVIN M. REESE, OF SANTA PAULA, CALIFORNIA.

DITCHING- MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 459,649, dated September 15, 1891.

Application filed June 19 1890.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWIN M. REEsE, of Santa Paula, in the county of Ventura and State of California, have invented a new and Improved Ditching-Machine, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved ditching-machine, which is simple and durable in construction, very effective in operation, and adapted to Work in grave], dirt, snow, or under water, if desired.

The invention consists of a rotating and continuously-oscillating cutting-wheel.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter, and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the same on the line 00 0c of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the cutting-wheel, and Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the same.

The improved ditching-machine A is provided with a suitably-constructed frame B, mounted on wheels 0, adapted to travel either on the rails D or directly on the ground, as desired. In the frame B is held an engine E of any approved construction and adapted to drive a shaft F, mounted to turn in suitable bearings, preferably made vertically-adjustable on suitable beams or posts erected in the frame B. One end of the shaft F projects beyond the side of the main frame B and carries at its outer end a sprocket-wheel G, over which passes a sprocket-chain G, extending downward and passing overasprocket-wheel G secured on the shaft H' of the cutting-wheel H. The shaft H is mounted to turn in suitable bearings formed in the forked end of a laterally-swinging arm I, supported at its upper end on a spring-plate I, forming the fulcrum, and fastened to the top beam of the main frame B. The arm I is thus freely suspended and hangs vertically.

The cutting-wheel II is preferably made in a number of sections 1-1 (see Fig. 5,) each of Serial No. 355,966. (No model.)

which is provided with the concentric rims H and H supported on suitable spokes from the hub, and in the said concentric rims are held adjustably, by means of bolts or other means, radially-arranged picksH, adapted to cut into the ground when the wheel H is rotated. On the outer rim H are also secured blades H, standing radially next to the picks H", but somewhat shorter than the latter and serving to throw the material cut by the picks rearward when the wheel H rotates. The picks H are made adjustable, so that they can be readily reset or lengthened out in case of wear. The picks H on the outer ends of the outermost sections H are slightly inclined outwardly, so that the picks out the ground to a greater width than the distance between the faces or ends of the wheel.

The arm I is made in extension sections, so that the arm can be lengthened or shortened in order to raise or to lower the wheel H, according to the depth of the ditch to be cut. The vertical center line of the arm I passes through the axis of the shaft F, which latter passes through slots formed in the upper end of said arm, so that the latter is guided in its transverse swinging movement. The arm I is connected between the wheel H and shaft F with a rod J, mounted to slide transversely in suitable bearings held in the main frame B. A lever K, fulcrumed at K on the main frame '13, is pivotally connected with said rod J, and is provided at its free end with a pin or friction-wheel K engaging a cam-groove L of a cam-wheel L, secured on the shaft F. \Vhen the latter is rotated,the cam-wheelL imparts a swinging motion to the lever K, which, in turn, causes the rodJ to slide transversely,

whereby a transverse swinging or oscillating 0 is secured a pulley 0, over which passes a crossed belt 0 alsopassing over a pulley 0 ,secured on the shaft F,rotated from the engine E. The elevatorNis also provided with the usual endless band or chain N preferably made of detachable links to lengthen and shorten the chain when the extension-frame N is adjusted. The band carries the usual buckets and passes over the pulley N secured on the shaft 0, and over the pulleys N" and N mounted to turn in suitable bearings in the lower part of the frame N. The pulleys N and N extend in about a horizontal line, as is plainly shown in Fig. 1, so that the buckets, after leaving the pulley N travel in a horizontal position to, gather in the loose dirt cut by the wheel II before they move upward to discharge near thepulley N into a suitable chute (notshown) leading to the side of the machine.

On the shaft 0 is also secureda crank-arm I, pivotally connected by a link P with a lever P extending about vertically and fulcrumed on one side of the main frame B. The lower end of the lever P carries a pawl Q, engaging a ratchet-wheel R, secured to one of the wheels 0, so that when the engine is set in motion and the shafts F and O are rotated the crank-arm I, by the link P, imparts a swinging motion to the lever P and the latter imparts movement to the pawl Q, acting 011 the ratchet-wheel R, so as to turn the same in a forward direction, whereby the machine moves forward. The motion of the shaft F rotates the wheel H, as previously described,

and imparts a sliding motion to the arm I,

carrying the said wheel, so that the said wheel vibrates laterally, whereby a ditch which is considerably wider than the width of the wheel is cut and whereby the wheel is always free to rotate in the ditch already formed without binding. The loosened earth is taken up by the buckets of the endless elevator-belt N and carried upward and discharged at one side, as previously described.

\Vhen it is desirable to cut a ditch very deep, the machine is moved over several times, the arm I, the frame I and belts or chains N and G being lengthened accordingly, so that the wheel H is lowered for each new cut, and the buckets of the chain N extend far enough down into the already-formed ditch to remove the dirt cut by the lowered wheel.

It will be seen that with the same-sized wheel a ditch can be out very deep by moving the machine several times over the ground and lowering the wheel I for each cut, as previously described.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination, with the main frame and the driveshaft, of an arm mounted on the main frame and movable toward and away from said frame, a rotary cutting-wheel journaled in the said arm and geared to the driveshaft, and power connections between the drive-shaft and the said movable arm to impart a continuous lateral movement thereto, substantially as described.

2. In a ditching-machine, the combination, with a main frame, of an arm loosely suspended in the frame, acutting-wheel mounted in the arm, and means for imparting a continuous oscillating motion to said arm, substantially as described.

3. In a ditching-machine, the combination, with the main frame, of an arm suspended by a flexible bar from the frame, a cutting-wheel mounted in the lower end of the suspended arm, and means for oscillating said arm, substantially as herein shown and described.

at. In a ditching-machine, the combination, with a main frame, of an adjustable arm suspended by a flexible bar from the frame, a cutting-wheel mounted in the lower end of the arm, and means for imparting an oscillating movement to the arm, substantially as herein shown and described.

5. In a ditching-machin e, the combination, with a shaft mounted to turn, of an arm h ung loosely and guided by the said shaft, a cutting-wheel mounted to turn in the said arm and actuated from the said shaft, a cam-wheel held on the said shaft, a lever engaging the said cam-wheel, and a rod connected with the said lever and the said arm, substantially as shown and described.

6..In a ditching-machine, the combination, with a main frame, of a rotary and continuously oscillating cutting-wheel mounted in the front part of the frame, and an elevator in rear of the cutting-wheel, substantially as described.

7. In a ditching-machine, the combination, with a main frame mounted on wheels, of a rotary and continuously oscillating cutting wheel mounted in the front part of the frame, an elevator in rear of the cutting-Wheel, an engine, and means for operating the cuttingwheel, the drivewheels, and the elevator from the engine, substantially as herein shown and described.

8. In a ditching-machine, a cutting-wheel formed in sections, each section being provided with radial picks and blades, the blades being adjacent to and shorter than the picks, substantially as herein shown and described.

EDXVIN M. REESE. lVitnesses:

TI-IOS. O. TOLAND, CHAS. N. BAKER. 

